The Faces of Bélmez
In 1971, a woman in a small Spanish village saw a face appear in her kitchen floor. When it was dug up, more faces appeared.
What was reported
On 23 August 1971, María Gómez Cámara, in the village of Bélmez de la Moraleda in Andalusia, said she saw the image of a human face appear on the concrete floor of her kitchen. Her family broke up the floor and laid new concrete, but more faces appeared over the following years.
The house became a sensation, drawing thousands of visitors. Investigators argued for years about whether the faces were genuine.
Explanations offered
Some laboratory tests reported traces of paint or chemicals that could have been used to create the images, while others reported none, and the samples' handling was questioned. Many researchers think the faces were made by people, possibly to attract visitors. The family always denied it.
- When
- From 1971
- Where
- Bélmez de la Moraleda, Jaén, Spain
- Witnesses
- A family, visitors and investigators
- Status
- Probably a hoax
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.